With the gaining popularity of 5G, many telecommunication companies now operate 5G services. Depending on the service provider you use, the icons on your status bar vary. These icons represent the capabilities of your 5G network.

As 5G is yet to reach its apex, understanding what the 5G or 5G+ icon on your status bar really means will help you figure out what network you're connected to.

5G Icons and What They Mean

Service providers have various names for their 5G plans according to the speeds and the frequencies they use. The icons for these plans are 5G, 5G+, 5G UW/UWB, and 5G E.

While you might see these icons on your device, they don't accurately represent the capabilities of your connection. So, how do 5G icons differ between carriers, and what do they actually mean?

In the US, the three most popular service providers are T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon.

T-Mobile has two 5G variants: 5G Ultra Capacity and 5G Extended Range. The former offers a high-speed connection with low coverage, and the latter offers a low-speed connection with wide coverage. Fortunately, even with a complicated naming scheme, the company uses the same '5G' icon for both plans.